Chilean miners 'must clean shelter before being freed'

The 33 miners trapped deep underground for nearly two months in a Chilean mine must prepare for their move back up to the surface and clean up their underground shelter, psychiatrists have said.

Workers pump water through a tube to miners trapped at the San Jose mine in Copiapo, ChilePhoto: AP

6:50AM BST 30 Sep 2010

The men, trapped 2,300 feet below the surface since an August 5 cave-in had received "many things" sent down narrow shafts and will need to tidy up the mess before they are pulled out some time after early November, said Alberto Iturra, who heads a team of psychiatrists evaluating them.

"They have lots of stuff down there. They will have to tidy up and see what they can bring with them, put it aside ahead of time in order to avoid stress in the final days," Mr Iturra said.

"There are lots of personal items, souvenirs, like soccer jerseys, all of which are part of their story," he added. "There are many things they want to bring with them because it's part of the experience they went through down there."

In addition to daily supplies of food, medicine and letters, the miners have received many gifts since they were discovered in late August, including a video projector, mini game consoles, books, pictures, rosaries blessed by Pope Benedict XVI, clothes and soccer jerseys signed by stars of the game.

The miners - 32 Chileans and a Bolivian - are "balanced, healthy people who managed well on their own. They are dealing very well with all this," Mr Iturra said.